First 100 in Line Get Free Chick-fil-A Food for Year

Chick-fil-A offers local residents a chance to earn a year’s supply of Chick-fil-A, as part of the Sept. 1 grand opening celebration of the new Carmel Mountain Chick-fil-A restaurant.

Operator Mike Weeks is giving a year’s supply (52 meals; 1 per a week) to the first 100 adults (18 years and older, with identification) in line at his new location, at 11670 Carmel Mountain Road.

The line officially opens at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31, with the free meal cards being awarded Thursday, Sept. 1, sometime between 6 a.m. and 6:10 a.m. The restaurant will open for business immediately thereafter. If there are more than 100 people by 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31, all 100 spots will be determined by a raffle.

With 90 restaurant openings planned in 2011, Chick-fil-A will reach 1,000 stand-alone locations in addition to the restaurants it operates in shopping malls and at licensed locations such as universities and airports. Chick-fil-A in 2010 opened 80 new restaurants, creating nearly 4,500 new jobs.

Transferring from The Galleria at South Bay Chick-fil-A location in Redondo Beach, Weeks will continue to extend that legacy as franchised operator of the new San Diego restaurant. With more than 12 years of Chick-fil-A experience, including three as a Chick-fil-A Operator, Weeks started working for the chain while in high school. Weeks received one of the Chick-fil-A Leadership Scholarships, which he used to earn a psychology degree from Florida State University.

“Chick-fil-A may have grown to be the second-largest chicken restaurant chain in the country, but our ideals today are no different than those Truett Cathy exemplified when he started Chick-fil-A 43 years ago,” said Weeks, who lived in San Diego with his wife Carlee for 18 months prior to becoming a Chick-fil-A Operator. “We want our customers to enjoy our freshly prepared food in the same friendly neighborhood environment he created.”

Having taken over the former location of a mattress store, the new Carmel Mountain Chick-fil-A features one of the larger plans with a 5,000-square-foot interior that seats 144. The restaurant has warm colors and wood accents and a convenient, award-winning drive-thru. Children will enjoy an indoor play area featuring an interactive section for toddlers. It is open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving a full breakfast menu until 10:30 a.m.